BJD reiterates its demand for special category status for Odisha ahead of central budget

The Biju Janata Dal on Thursday (January 30, 2025) reiterated its demand for special category status for Odisha, calling it a just and rightful claim.

“In its 2014 election manifesto, the BJP pledged to grant Odisha special category status upon coming to power. However, that promise has now been forgotten. With the BJP governing both at the Centre and in the State—what they call a “double-engine government”—what’s stopping them from fulfilling this commitment?,” asked BJD Rajya Sabha Member Sasmit Patra ahead of Budget Session of Parliament.

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Mr. Patra said the BJD would intensify its demand for the special category status for Odisha inside Parliament and outside.

BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had also asked the party’s Rajya Sabha MPs to raise the issue stating that if Odisha had been given special category State status then the State could have given more funds to the farmers who lost their crops to unseasonal rains a few days back.

“The State has been facing natural disasters and needs to be accorded special category State. If for whatever reasons you cannot specify it as a Special Category State, then you could use the nomenclature of Special Focus State, but do not deprive the people of Odisha from their rightful demand for a special category State,” the regional party said while putting forth issues.

Mr. Patra said the party would also raise the issue food inflation and economic distress of people.

“Minimum support price of farmers needs to be doubled as per Swaminathan Commission Report. Presently, the MSP for paddy per quintal is ₹2300. However, the Centre has not doubled the farmers’ income. We demand Rs. 4600 as MSP per quintal of paddy as per the assurances made by the Centre regarding the doubling of farmer’s income through the Swaminathan Commission Report,” said the party.

BJD party MPs in Upper House of Parliament will also raise the issue of Polavaram and Mahanadi disputes stating that it is high priority for the people of Odisha.

“Mr. Patnaik had fought with the Centre for ensuring justice and when the Centre neglected Odisha, he went to the Supreme Court and ensured that Mahanadi Tribunal was established and Polavaram is also sub-judice in Supreme Court,” said the party.

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Mr. Patra also said the Centre was denying ₹10,000 crore per annum to the people of Odisha towards coal royalty for last 10 years.

“If we had the coal royalty, today so much more development would have taken place for Odisha. Many States of India take coal but Odisha doesn’t get even its basic coal royalty which is its right. This is causing great loss to the people of Odisha who are deprived of their rightful share for using it in their development,” the party said in its resolution. )